Page 22 of In Bed with the Rancher

He crossed the room to her and got a subtle hint of perfume, but he was lost in her big blue eyes. Her soft lips parted slightly as they stared at each other. “You look gorgeous,” he said in a rasp. It took all his self-control to avoid touching her. He yearned to pick her up, carry her to his bedroom and peel off those sexy clothes so he could touch, kiss and make love to her all night.

For a moment they looked at each other. She took a step back as she continued to gaze up at him.

They gazed at each other as if caught in a spell that neither one wanted to break.

“You clean up rather well yourself,” Ava finally told him, her heart pounding. His black hair was combed and still looked damp, a few unruly locks on his forehead. He wore clothes from Gerald—a blue denim shirt and jeans—and he looked incredibly handsome and sexy. Though she could look at him forever, she needed to move away, to stop staring at him and to stop thinking about tonight—the last night they would be together.

He followed her to the window. A steady light rain fell again. Any precipitation was enough to make a difference in ground already soaked and standing in water. “You may have to postpone leaving here,” she whispered and turned to look up at him. He had walked up right behind her, looking over her shoulder. The minute she looked into his eyes, her breath caught. Desire filled his eyes, a hunger for kisses that she felt, too. She couldn’t get her breath, couldn’t move away or say anything. All she knew was that she wanted to be in his arms and she wanted him to kiss her. He reached out and placed his hand on her waist, then leaned toward her while his gaze lowered to her mouth, and she couldn’t get her breath. She couldn’t protest or step away or look away. She could only look at his lips and remember his last kiss, which had dazzled her.

“We shouldn’t,” she whispered.

“I think we should,” he answered. “Admit it, Ava, you want to kiss me as much as I do you.”

She couldn’t deny what he said. His dark gaze devoured her and she trembled, aching to lean a little closer, to feel his arms go around her.

“It’s our last night together,” she whispered.

“To my way of thinking, it’s a last chance for ecstasy,” he said in a raspy whisper. His hand slipped around her waist and he drew her to him.

She was going to regret telling him no.

She would regret saying yes.

Which regret did she want to have to live with?

She had to make a choice and take the consequences one way or another.

“What will I have after tonight? I’m not part of your family’s world and you still don’t know who you really are or your obligations. You know I’ll have regrets whichever decision I make,” she whispered to him. “If I say yes, I may fall in love and get hurt. If I tell you no, I might regret what I could have had.” As she whispered her dilemma, he dropped light kisses on her throat and ear, while he also caressed her breast, slipping his hand beneath her red sweater.

“Then say yes and live with those regrets,” he whispered. “And, frankly, I think you’ve already made your choice. I want you, Ava. I want you with all my being.” He showered more light kisses on her and tilted her chin up. She opened her eyes to look into his and her breathing was raspy. There was no mistaking the desire in his expression.

“Yes, I have made a choice,” she whispered. “Yes,” she repeated as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Wanting you outweighs the regrets I know I’ll have. This is what I want.” She ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head and pulled him closer to kiss him.

His mouth covered hers and she was lost, spinning away on sensations that made her want all of him, made her want his hands and mouth all over her, made her want to kiss him from head to toe. “I don’t know anything about fate and that sort of thing, but being here with you feels like it was meant to be. But, damn, I don’t want to do one tiny thing that hurts you. You’re a special part of my life, Ava Carter.”

“One night isn’t going to hurt me. I expect exactly the opposite of hurt tonight.”

“Ah, baby, I want to kiss you and touch you for hours,” he whispered.

As they kissed, he slipped his hand beneath her red sweater to push away her bra and caress her breast, each sensual touch intensifying her longing for all of him.

He swung her up into his arms and kissed her, walking out of the kitchen and down the hall to her bedroom. Beside her big bed, he stood her on her feet while he kissed her.

She pushed against him slightly, turning to open a drawer. She waved her hand at the packets that held condoms.

“I bought those for my honeymoon when I thought I was getting married. I didn’t want to get pregnant on my honeymoon. So here they are.”

He smiled and drew her to him to kiss her again.

Her heart thudded when she looked into his dark eyes, which were filled with purpose. When he picked her up in his arms, she cried out, “Your shoulder!”

“I’m fine,” he said. He sat in a big comfy chair, holding her, and he kissed her, his tongue going over hers.

Her insides clenched and her heartbeat sped up while she held him tightly.

“I feel as if I’ve waited forever for this,” he whispered.

“Good,” she replied. “So good.” And then she couldn’t talk because they were kissing—wild, passionate kisses that made her want all of him. Kisses that gave her a feeling of being desired, loved. She wanted to experience his hands and mouth on her and hers all over him. She knew she probably shouldn’t let down her guard with him, but for this last night, before she told him goodbye, she was going to make love and make more memories of him. He needed her to get him home, to take care of him tonight. She needed him to help her through a rough time and he was doing so beyond her wildest dreams. She shifted slightly to drag light kisses across his cheek and jaw, over his prickly beard to his ear.

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